Are you seeking some advice on how to deal with running in the wind? If so, welcome. I know running into the wind is not an easy task. In fact, many of us have had to deal with this in some time during our running career. My goal with this post is to provide some tips that will help you overcome wind when you are training. Of course, we cannot get rid of it although we might like to when training or racing. That being said, there are aways to handle it and be more efficient when we run in the wind.
I have been competing for over 20 years and understand what it feels like to try to run in high winds. You are more than welcome to visit the about page if you would like to know more about my racing background.
Tips for Running in the Wind
- Stay in Control
The first thing we tend to do when dealing with high winds is tense up. Remember, you, not the wind, is always in control. There are many runners who waste too much energy with muscle tension. So, the less energy expenditure on mental or physical tension the better. Why do the best middle to long distance runners make it look so easy? They stay relaxed and calm.
So, let your competition be tense, nervous and up tight the morning of your race, not you. Again, to be the best you have to study and think like a world-class runner. Normalcy surrounds us all. People pay attention to mindless information that will get them no where. So, focus on what will make you productive, run relaxed when you train. My aim is for you to use these tips for running in the wind to use leverage.
Leverage simply means doing more with less. How many athletes do you know who work extremely hard and yet still miss their racing goals. Why are there other runners who seem to work far less and get better results? They focus on quality over quantity.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PRIVATE, MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITYDo You Burn more Calories Running against Wind?
Wind resistance always make it more difficult on the athlete as opposed to if it was calm. So, yes you are burning more calories in windy conditions as there is more wind resistance against you. You may not burn as many calories if you were running a treadmill as there is no wind resistance indoors. Of course, you can significantly burn more calories when you increase the incline.
You will have to work much harder running on an incline versus running on no incline. So, the effort will be much easier and not as difficult on your body. You can always seek out routes that can shield you from the wind. Perhaps you live in an area where there is a lot of heavy woods nearby. The trees can do a great job of shielding us from the wind as compared with running in open areas.
2. Focus on Mental Training
How you handle adversity will dictate how successful you are going to become in this sport. Is it windy outside when you train or race? Guess what, everyone else has to do deal with it too. The advantage here is that most runners will let wind control them instead of them controlling the weather conditions themselves. Yes, there are runners out there who still run superior times even while running in the wind.
So, don't let high winds get the best of you. Do the best you can to stay confident and positive even if there are high winds during your workout or race.
Is it Good to Run in the wind?
3. Draft off of Your Competition
Do your best to draft off of other runners in your race. You will most certainly be using leverage (working smarter) by doing this. In addition, you will be expending less energy by not taking the brunt of the wind by running in the front. Sometimes back running is more strategic and will yield you better results. I also highly recommend subscribing to the RunDreamAchieve YouTube channel.
I create new videos each week there to help runners such as yourself get to the next level in their training. Wind running is just one of many topics we discuss there. Again, you want to train smarter, not harder. There are runners who focus on quality training and get better results faster by simply training smarter. So, use less energy in the race by keeping away from the wind by drafting.
Running in the wind makes for a more challenging workout. So, never run from adversity. It is going to be a challenge to get into great shape. The strongest will survive and most often times the smartest athletes get the best results.
How Do You Run when Windy?
4. Adjust your Pace
Remember, in windy conditions running fast is not so easy. So, you may need to adjust your pace and focus more on effort. One of the biggest mistakes I see runners make is second guessing themselves. They doubt themselves when they miss their time goals. Weather conditions can most certainly ruin race performances.
High winds, hot and humid temperatures, rain, snow and sleet all factor into drastically effecting race performance. So, adjust your pace and focus more on the effort in windy conditions. Use the times when the wind is to your back to your advantage and speed up if you can.
The reason being is you can make up for lost time for when you have a headwind. Headwinds will significantly impact running cadence and slow your effort. So, speed up when you do have tailwinds.
5. Dress Appropriately
Winds can make even reasonable temperatures feel worse especially if it is cold outside. Of course, warmer temps are as bad but heavy winds can most certainly cause us issues. So, if it is colder make sure to dress in layers. Hydrate well before, during and definitely after your workout or race. Again, to be great it takes following all of the fundamentals.
The reality is most runners only focus on physical training and neglect many other variables that go into running fast times. How you dress in heavy winds can assist you and combat. Arm sleeves, proper gloves, long sleeve shirts and facial coverings for runners can keep the extremities warm. Also, wear some shades on your face. There are many runners who deal with watery eyes when trying to run in the wind.
CHECK OUT OUR RUNNING COURSESIs it OK to Run when it's Windy?
6. Consider Running Indoors
There are going to be times when it is far better to run indoors. Treadmill running is a great option as there is no wind resistance. In addition, you can always place the incline on 1 percent to equal outdoor land running. Pool running is also another great option when it is windy outside. The water resistance makes for a great anaerobic workout. So, you can get in the deep end of the pool and focus on your form.
Of course, you can always wear a flotation device and make pool running much more easy. Pool running can be very boring as you are in one position. That being said, it is great for having no impact on your ligaments and joins too. So, if the wind gusts are far too high outside consider treadmill or pool running.
7. Focus on Form
Do you best not to hunch over when running into the wind. Again, form and muscle tension within the body are huge energy wasters. So, do the very best you can to stay as calm and in control as you can when dealing with these weather conditions. You can also plan your route. So, you can have the wind at your back most of the way rather than in your face the whole time. Remember, working smarter, not harder is the way to go.
Closing Thoughts
I hope this post has been helpful. Are you ready to take your training and racing to the next level? If so, check out the many resources that are available to you here at rundreamachieve.com. Please keep in touch with me and let me know how your training and racing are going.
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